Firsthand
Overview:
Firsthand casts a spotlight on twelve indigenous artists of the American Southwest. This multi-media exhibition features works of photography, drawing, painting, print-making, ceramics, fiber art, sculpture and fashion design. This project was not only designed to promote indigenous representation in the arts, but also to pay homage to the region that I grew up in.
Deliverables:
Art Curation, Book Design, Brand Identity, Exhibition Graphics, Print Design
Book Design | Introductory Spreads
My first impression of the region was shaped by the magical desert landscapes I observed, so I chose to take the viewer on a similar journey in the introductory spreads of my publication. Here, I sourced imagery of cholla cacti, adobe structures, and breathtaking natural attractions (specifically, White Sands National Park and Tent Rocks National Monument).
Book Design | Front Matter
Manmade steps and ladders are frequently observed in indigenous architectural styles; these are elements that I wanted to convey through the behavior of graphic patterns and title typography at the start of each section.
Book Design | Front Matter
In the process of organizing the sequential design of the book, I chose to include poetry written by Native artists, academic articles about indigenous representation in the arts, and, most importantly, the biographies and works created by the artists of the exhibition.
The treatment of purple body copy, stylized imagery, and turquoise pull quotes not only reference the colors we frequently see in Southwestern landscapes, but were also choices that I made to make dense academic articles more approachable to read.
Book Design | Featured Artists
Following the front matter, we reach the selected artist section of the publication, where the reader may view the biographies and works of those featured within the exhibition.
I’ve included this medley of spreads to not only display the beauty of Southwestern landforms and artworks, but to also highlight the diverse range of media that this exhibition encapsulates.
Print Design | Promotional Poster Series
Following the proofing and production of the 180-page book, it was time to create marketing materials. A promotional poster series was designed to heighten public awareness of the exhibition, which was staged at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe.
Print Design | Exhibition Graphics
Posters and banners were created to adorn the interior and exterior spaces of the museum, which ultimately guide the visitor to the exhibition itself.
It was incredibly fulfilling for me to design a project that features the land, people, and artworks of my favorite region on Earth, and I’d love to execute additional projects that enable me to work as a designer and curator for artistic institutions in the future.
